Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-03
CITY AND DISTRICT.
THE PUBLsC SCHOOLS.
a Citizens Assoctasion Discusses the
school hoard Hill.

meeting OF citizens Association No. 5. held
last evening Ia the chapel OF the Lutheran Me
mortal church Mr. Reginald Fendall presiding, Mr..
z Richards from the committee on schools made
e report incorsing the recent report OF the COM
mIttee ON schools made 10 the Citizens Represen
tattve Committee Of one Hundred, and especially
the bill TO screate a board OF education for the Dis
trct Of Columbia and 10 prescribe It's powers and
duties" "Your committee believe" the report
said .that the immediate passage OF tins bill bv
Congress Is imperatively demanded at the present
time. for the following reasons: First Inasmuch
IS the public schools are established for the
special benefit and use OF the masses OF our
citizens, who are made responsible and taxed
ii LOT InelI supporr these same masses OF
the people ought 10 nave a prominent voice
10th IN the manner OF using their money and
o. training their children 2d- As by what seems
Hy necessary for she creation and regulation OF
our public schools by the District Commissioners,
q trustees, thus making them merely advisory
agents VINO are In no sense representatives OF the
leopss, we believe IL Is all important that Con-
sress should pass decorative act as set forth
Ia the accompanying bill, requiring that there
should be selected from the people twenty -four
t1teiigent and representative citizens, who shall
have intrusted TO them all the powers heretofore
exercised py our school trustees. and which are
Usually exercised BY boards OF education in other
THE POWER OF APPOINTMENT.
Rev. DR.. Craighead asked Mr.. Richards whether
II was the intention OF the bill to have the mem
oers OF the school board appointed by the CON-
plissioners.
Mr. Richards replied that the bill gave that
authority to the Commissioners He said that
those opposed to the bill had started the rumor
that the entire agitation OF the question OF the
change In the management OF the schools was
prompted by those OF the eX-trustees who wish TO
get back into the management OF the schools. He
thought that such a statement was absurd on its
face, Tor the reason that he Commissioners were
10 appoint The members Of the school board, and
suSn tneory Mo1,a pIesupgose the eNlstehce vi
and the ex-trustees In favor OF this bill But the
fact was that the Commissioners were opposed TO
the Dill The Commissioners under this Dill mad
the right not only 10 appoint the members OF the
school board, but also to remove them II they
fourd a mistake had been made.
what do You mean By mistaken" asked DR..
CraigheGd- do you mean when trustee does
lot carry out the commands OF the Commits
81 suppose that 10 could mean that replied Mr..
Richards, but 1ma CINE that IL would mean gen.
orally when a man was found TO be unsuitable.
But the citizens have an opportunity 10 recon-
mend TO the Commissioners, through these aSso-
cations which nave been formed and in other
ways, men who they think would be competent to
Mi these positions and Ia this way the citizens
could have some voice in the solution OF a school
board"
Then as understand said a member this
bill Is a compromise between the citizens and the
commissioners, The former yielding up a part Of
their rights In order 10 secure the remainder on
the principle that half OF a loaf is better than
none
Il SuPPoSc thdt dcScr1DeS IL, Sdlu MI. RcnaruS
THE OPPOSITION OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
some reference was made TO the opposition of
the commissioners to the bill, and an inquiry was
made whether they had more power with Congress
than private citizens; whether they had any
means To influence members OF Congress by
patronage, &C. One OF the members said that
they had all the District patronage at their CON-
nand, Whatever that amounted TO. Mr.. Fenwick
said that In the opposition made to the bill before
Congress at the iast session the Commissioners
had not res0rted TO any underhand methods. IL
was anopen Tight, and the citizens were not placed
a any disadvantage
Mr.. Richards, In speaking OF the management of
The schools, SAID that a change was now going on
In the methods employed IN the schools, the effect
OF which could not yet be fully estimated. There
was one feature OF the changes now In progress
which ne thought called Tor serious attention. and
that was the evident effort TO get nd OF the text
books IN the schools The person responsible for
this change had introduced the same system into
the town where he lived for sixteen years, and as
soon as he left the town text books were brought
back again into the schools He thought that all
experience was against system that did away
with text books.
The report OF the committee was adopted and
the association adjourned TO meet In two weeks
Tor The purpose OF considering report upon in
custrfl education